Man arrested after crashing into Indio home 3 times

A 45-year-old Indio man was arrested Sunday night for DUI and felony child endangerment after authorities said he crashed into his neighbor’s house three separate times.

Sgt. Dan Marshall said Juan Martinez Jr. was arrested at about 6 p.m. after injuring three people, including a 10-year-old boy who had to be airlifted to the hospital.

Martinez was apparently involved in a family disturbance at a neighboring home prior to crashing into the home in the 83100 block of East Circle Drive. Officers said he allegedly vandalized a family member’s vehicle and then lost control of his Chevy pickup as he was trying to flee the area.

He ended up crashing into the victim’s home and then collided with the house again when he tried to drive away. When Martinez tried to drive away a second time, he struck a vehicle parked in the driveway which caused the carport to collapse, Sgt. Marshall said in the release.

Neighbors were able to detain Martinez until police arrived.

The three victims injured were inside the home when Martinez crashed. Officers said the 10-year-old boy had major injuries but they weren’t life-threatening. A man remains hospitalized with moderate injuries and a woman was released from the hospital with minor injuries.

Martinez was treated and released from the hospital before being booked into the Riverside County Jail in Indio. He charged with a DUI causing injuries and a felony warrant for child endangerment. Sgt. Marshall said he’s being held on $100,000 bail.

News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 spoke to the owner of the home Sunday night. He told us the suspect got in his car after an argument then floored it right into his living room where his son was. If not for a large couch, he believes his 10-year-old son would be dead.

Police closed the intersection of Ave 44 and Jackson Street for a helicopter to land at a nearby field.